Editor’s Note: Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA), Visa Inc (NYSE:V), American Express Company (NYSE:AXP)
WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard rated number one travel rewards card in Canada (CNW)
The WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard is Canada’s best travel rewards card for 2013, according to an annual review and ranking of credit cards in the September issue of MoneySense magazine. “WestJet has worked diligently to create a rewards program that aligns directly with our award-winning guest experience,” said Bob Cummings, WestJet’s Executive Vice-President, Sales, Marketing and Guest Experience. “From the beginning we have taken great care in developing a transparent and simple rewards program and the WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard worked very well with our concept. Receiving the number-one ranking in the travel credit card category from MoneySense tells us that we have provided the public with the kind of service, experience and value they have come to expect from WestJet, RBC and Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA).”
Russell Simmons and Prepaid Visa® RushCard Launch #RiseToThrive Crowdfunding Campaign to Help Build Prosperity in American Neighborhoods (heraldonline.com)
RushCard– a prepaid Visa Inc (NYSE:V) card co-founded by Russell Simmons in order to provide financial freedom and access long denied to an underserved population– and CrowdRise, the crowdfunding site founded by Edward Norton– today announced the #RiseToThrive Charity Challenge. The crowdfunding challenge will raise money and awareness for non-profits dedicated to building prosperous futures for people in American neighborhoods RushCard serves. Through highly engaged, incentivized fundraising, the #RiseToThrive Challenge will reward the charities who best fundraise for their cause, and offer prizes to those who donate.
50 years young – happy birthday American Express! (Contact Centre Live)
American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), one of the world’s largest banking houses, launched its credit card service in Britain 50 years ago today.The service enabled its card holders to ‘flash the plastic’ at nearly 3,000 establishments at home and 83,000 abroad, settling their accounts in pounds sterling rather than dollars. This move proved to be a decisive step towards the proliferation of credit cards in Britain, the idea of which had not yet been widely accepted by the public at large. Fifty years on, and the credit card has gone well and truly mainstream.
Visa to threaten IBM as most influential Dow stock (Market Watch)
Changes to the Dow Jones Industrial Average announced Tuesday mean that three of the least influential stocks in the price-weighted index will be replaced by much more heavily weighted issues. As Bespoke Investment Group notes, the stocks being dropped — Alcoa Inc., Bank of America Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. are among the lowest-priced issues in the index, with an average price of $15. The stocks being added — Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Visa Inc (NYSE:V) and Nike Inc. have an average price of $134.50.
Time Inc. Buys American Express Titles [Updated] (Adweek)
In a well-kept secret for the usually gossipy media industry, Time Inc. has agreed to buy American Express Company (NYSE:AXP)’ luxury publishing division, which includes Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure and Departures. The price of the sale, expected to close in Q4, wasn’t disclosed. The sales talks were prompted by rules that required AmEx, as a bank holding company, to exit noncore businesses. Banking regulations limit American Express Company (NYSE:AXP)’s ability to work in non-banking activities.
